North Point Community Church

Its a huge church, I mean big. Parking is crazy for the 11AM service. The staff however was very friendly in helping me get my children registered in the right classroom. The are very helpful for people with children with food allergies which was amazing! It’s not a normal church with like church announcements, tithe & offering etc. It’s like praise & worship sermon… thanks and get out. Not a real personal experience the pastor isn’t outside shaking hands after etc.
The kids loved it so I don’t know maybe we’ll try the later service

Don’t bother. Here’s the problem with this church. They want to have a foot in the kingdom & another in the world. They claim to be a church where non church people love to attend. Then, you give them the best years of your life. Teach their kids, park their cars, greet their people, give them your money, then they kick you out. All you have to do is join one of their (small groups) so that the spouse of one of the staff members can kick you out of your position because they don’t like something you did. If they were really a church that non church people loved to attend, they would not be policing their volunteers to make sure that they were following their (Christian code of conduct). The worst part is, Andy Stanley doesn’t even know what’s going on with his staff. You stop attending after getting baptized there, & volunteering every Sunday for four years, & they still leave you messages on your phone asking you to attend their Easter service. If you want to attend, by all means come to hear some good preaching, but don’t join one of their small groups because you will be sorry.

Praise the Lord a great church I clearly did not expect it to be so large. Very diverse group of people and modern day message. I am only sorry I did not get to hear Andy Stanley. The preacher they had was good and clearly got his message across.

I’ve been on the fence about reviewing NPCC since attending church is SUCH a personal experience.
Message wise– I’ve never felt such a connection to the messages or sermons of pastor, Andy Stanley. This might be one of the most open minded, friendly, all encompassing churches I’ve ever attended, so much so, I think people of other religious backgrounds might find this interesting since most of his messages are of peace, acceptance and love for all. I really leave SO inspired and so introspective after each week.
My reason for only three stars? NPCC is a church too big for its own good. They offer MANY different service times (which rocks! We go at 630PM on Sunday night) but 99% of the services are watching Andy on giant projection screens from a pre-​recorded service. Also, there are now SEVERAL churches within the umbrella of Andy Stanley, so there is no guarantee he will be at your service. I find this very impersonal and a little too modern for me. The message is still the same regardless but, to me, its about a connection. Regardless, they always have an incredible live band that performs and someone who gets up and speaks giving only live announcements. They really push ‘small groups’ so that you can take your learning/​faith to the next level with a small group local to your residence. Personally, the small group idea makes me personally uncomfortable and anxious. I wish there was a way the church could make itself feel more intimate without forcing you to go to a second event in someones home.
I must say again, message wise, Andy is on point. For a mega church, NPCC is interesting and worth checking out.

I love the message the church leaders deliver. Andy Stanley is truly gifted and I am grateful that he has chosen to help others. Based on that alone, I would easily give this church 5 stars. So why did I give a low rating? What I really dislike about this church is the attitude of some of the church administration. It seems like the polar opposite of the message the pastors give.
On more than one occasion, I have gotten a «oh well, too bad for you» attitude when I asked a question. I thought I was asking an innocent question («Did the website mention that advance sales would be disabled at a certain time?» …which also meant the ticket price increased by 50%) and the response was some of the worst customer service I have experienced. I realize the onsite ticket cost was not exorbitant, but for some of us, we have to watch every dollar we spend. This event was going to be a small treat and I no longer wanted to go.
I am now so turned off by the «too bad for you» attitude that I think I need a new church. What a shame. Rev. Stanley and the pastors are truly exceptional.
I know everyone has bad days and makes mistakes. I’m plenty guilty as well. But please, if you work for a place that is established to help people, especially those in their darkest days, foster some compassion or consider working somewhere else if you cannot be civil to the people who come every week and give back to the church.

So, when we arrived at church it was packed. it was so packed that we actually, believe it or not, were thinking about going back home.
I am so glad that we found a parking spot because when we walked in the church or was AMAZING. The service was as if Andy was personally speaking to me. I think we have found our church home.

Definitely as good as a modern church gets… bible teaching, gospel preaching, awesome relevant music. Great!

The only reason I’m reviewing A CHURCH is because Andy is very popular and I believe in word of mouth. Plus I’m an AVID reviewer so here goes.
A little background about me: I’m African American (I’m sure you can tell by my avi lol) and I was raised in the stereotypical African American baptist church. My dad was a minister; therefore, when it came to matters of religion I was VERY close minded and judgmental. This was from me being a child to a young adult. So I moved from the vicinity of my church home and started being unable to go every Sunday. Occasional Sundays going to church turned into not going at all (I had a lot on my plate I had to deal with. I was unable to go). I’m so glad I left the church for awhile, it gave me a chance to explore my faith and I’ve become more spiritual because of it.
The first time I heard Andy (EARLY 2012), he was filling in for his dad Dr. Charles Stanley. I LOVED his message so I googled him and looked at different teachings on his site. I really enjoyed them all so I started tuning in EVERY Sunday to watch his 11:30am program on Sunday. I’d been doing this for almost 2 years so my lover and I finally decided to go to his church. We went to the 6:30pm service. I LOVED praise and worship and I really felt the Holy Spirit moving in me. I was kinda taken back that there was NO ANDY IN THE FLESH and that we were only looking at the television and projection board of his message but I guess after some time, you get used to it. I love Andy so I do plan on going again and maybe even becoming a member! Service lasted one hour which I was happy about. And because of the short time and the fact almost everyone had on jeans, it felt like bible study but who says Sunday services have to be so extravagant… oh I know who says that. The baptist church.

We were invited over here for the «Night of Worship» which takes place once in every quarter.
The music was just awesome. the service was really good. sermon was short and to the point. there were about 2000 people on that night. attending the service… Will be visitng there again.

So you’ve decided to turn to Unilocal to find a church.
And why shouldn’t you? It’s helped you in so many other ways — like finding awesome things to do in Atlanta, giving great tips on restaurants, and letting you know the top 10 reasons why your car is better than MARTA.
TLDR; A big christian church with a big heart. Get into a small group to feel a part of the community — you’ll thank me later.
WHEN AND WHERE
There are actually several services on Sunday morning (and at least one on Sunday afternoons). Although this is the ‘main’ campus, you might want to check out one of the other campuses in the Atlanta area as well — there might be one much closer to you than the Northpoint campus. Check their website for more information.
PARKING
The first thing you’ll notice about this church, is that it’s big. Like disneyland big. That kind of bigness comes with some interesting challenges, like «How do you get that many people in and out of the church parking lot quickly and safely?». Northpoint does it with an incredible set of parking lot volunteers and police traffic control. You’ll be guided in and out of the parking lot. You’ll be asked to stop to let pedestrian traffic cross. If you can deal with traffic at a Braves game, this will be a piece of cake. Just don’t forget where you parked. And in case you’re worried — they actually have a free shuttle from the more distant parking areas.
GETTING INSIDE
Find the part of the building labeled ‘Main entrance’ (it’s close to the middle) and aim for that. If it’s your first time, I highly recommend you check out the ‘new visitors’ area. You’ll most likely get a free CD to take with you, and a quick tour. If you’ve got kids, you’ll be shown where their classes are. Don’t worry — you’re under no obligation to take them there (it’s more like a show and tell). Also, don’t worry about this introduction preventing you from getting a good seat — they’ll set aside some good seats for you.
If you’re finding your own seat, it’s no big deal … you’ll be handed a bulletin and you can find your own seat.
THE SPACE
It’s a big space, but closer seating goes fast — so if you want to find a good seat you might need to get there several minutes ahead of the service. Also, be aware there are 2 main seating areas, referred to as the ‘East’ and the ‘West’. You’ll probably notice a large stage area flanked by two large screens (to help you see the action a bit better). If you want to sit higher up, you’ll notice stairs to the balcony area on one side of the space. There is a cry room for nursing mothers (just ask an usher if you’re interested).
This is a non-​denominational church — look around and you won’t find many symbols indicating it’s a Christian church on the inside. It might make some folks uncomfortable that they can’t spot a gigantic crucifix or any stained glass windows. For most, it’s a bit of a relief.
THE MUSIC
The first thing you’ll notice about the service is the music. Most likely, you’re not going to see a choir or hear an organ. Want a sampling of what you will hear? Check them out on iTunes. (No, I’m not kidding).
If it’s during the summer or a major holiday, don’t be surprised if you notice some awesome rock songs mixed in. You might even think you’ve wandered into some kind of live concert event, with players shown on the big screens. On father’s day (the first day I attended) I was delighted to wander in to ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ being played. If you would have told me that Ronnie Van Zant had come back and was playing that day, I would have believed you. They were that good.
If you find that certain rock songs can have spiritual undertones and might be awesome in church, keep reading.
Also: Please be aware that it’s loud. Not «front row at a Bön Jovi concert» loud, but probably much louder than you’ve experienced at other churches. Northpoint has a big space and their sound system fills it very well. Normally there are about 2 – 3 worship songs at the beginning of each service.
THE MESSAGE
Generally speaking, what follows is about a 45 minute message from either the Northpoint pastor (Joel) or the senior pastor (Andy). Sometimes there are guest speakers, but it’s rare. Generally speaking, they will be teaching as part of a several week series with a theme. Expect a lecture style format with a few visual aids. It’ll be based in the Bible. You’ll have a few takeaway points by the end.
OTHER CHURCH LIFE
If you can believe it, the amazing parts of this church don’t actually happen on Sundays.
To experience church community, get plugged in with a community group. Twice a year, the church hosts a large ‘Grouplink’ event. The basic idea is that you get plugged in to a small group of folks living close to you that you can ‘do life’ with.
SUMMARY
Yes, this is a big church. No, it’s not for everyone. But this place attracts a lot of people for a reason — they do a lot of things well.

Andy Stanley preaching and a variety of service times on Sunday, how can you go wrong! NPCC is growing and it is very evident to see why. They offer so much for kids and adults and our daughter wants to go every Sunday. NPCC is top notch in our book!

I never thought I would ever see a negative comment about the church that changed my life! North Point is a unique ministry that may seem a little strange to people who have grown up in traditional churches as I did. Yes there is christian ’”rock” music that is the focal point of the worship portion of the service. Yes you will see people walking around in shorts and flip flops. Yes the church is HUGE with a diverse crowd. What North Point is known for is that it is inclusive of both believers and non believers. What attracts people to this church so much is that you can come as you are, and not have to worry so much about being judged or not being good enough to be amongst believers. THAT is what reels them in to North Point. Once people come for a while, you often hear the call to serve in some way out of the many opportunities we have at our church. And you will also hear the call to join a community «small group» that gets you out of rows and into circles of folks you will study the Bible with and grow in your faith with. It DRAMATICALLY makes this huge environment into something easier for you to grow spiritually. You see it is the PEOPLE that lead others into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ at this church. Not necessarily the pastors, not the light show, the people who GET what North Point is all about and who actually dive in to serve or to form community groups that are the foundation of our church. For someone who may be offended by world class musicians performing a secular song (sometimes better than the originals), what would you say to that person who came, after never going to church, or after suffering the scrutiny of being a non believer in another church and rejected it? What if that person thought North Point was cool, kept coming, got involved with all that North Point had to offer, and turned their life over to Jesus Christ? Would you be offended, or happy that they finally found a church that they can relate to? I venture that you should have given North Point a chance, and explore the wonderful ministry that it is! I would welcome you back personally and answer any questions you might have at any time. God Loves YOU and so do I.

The following is a letter I sent to Northpoint after our visit there this past Sunday, July 22, 2012:
Hello. My wife Kelly and I attended your 11 A.M. service Sunday this past Sunday morning. We have recently moved to Atlanta and are looking for a new church home. We will not be back to Northpoint. In a very Christian manner I will tell you why.
First, we came in and were greeted and given a service program. We sat down in two open seats and a gentleman proceeded to tell us we couldn’t sit there because he had them saved. He sat we could sit somewhere else. Maybe I am wrong but every church I have ever been a member of; visitors have priority to sit somewhere and are treated very warmly and graciously.
Second, we sat down and could not help hearing the conversation behind us. We were not eaves dropping, they were talking that loud. Apparently, one of them was a real estate agent and she was bragging about how much money she was making off a sale and said several times very clearly where we could hear, «They got a h**l of a deal!» The gentleman then was too concerned with what he was having for dinner (shrimp) and that they were having steaks Monday night. That told me he was not getting his mind right to focus God.
However, none of that compared to what happened next. Your praise band began the service with a Tom Petty song! Excuse me! Then they played a Bön Jovi song! In addition, before every song, the announcer gave background on each song as if it was a top 40 radio show. To add insult, the guitar player was POSING for the camera! I looked at my wife and said we are leaving; I came to worship and not a rock concert! Please tell me scripturally where you can worship God by playing secular music. Instead of you changing the world, you are letting the world change you (James 4:8)! You are compromising! There is no compromise when it comes to worship. Christ did not compromise when he died on the cross for us!
Why would you not open with Casting Crowns, Third Day, or any other CHRISTIAN song? I sang in the choir at my previous church and the job of the praise and worship band/​leader is to help get minds and hearts right to worship and praise our God. Tommy Petty and Bön Jovi don’t do that! If anything, it makes you turn away. As a follower of Christ, I was shocked and saddened by this!
What worries my soul the most and what I prayed about is this: What if someone had never been to church, they had been hearing about this wonderful savior who died for our sins and how he could change your life. They come to church expecting so much and they hear secular music. They become confused and go back to the world. Maybe your membership is so big, losing one or two is not important to you but it is important to God!
I have also told a group from our previous church in Alabama who were planning to visit Northpoint in early August about our experience and the music. I have asked them not to visit and they will not.
Now, I would like to challenge you. You can either disregard this email as a complaint or you can forward it to your church leaders, particularly Brother Stanley. You have lost two potential members. Maybe that is ok with you since your membership is so big. However, two can turn into four, four into eight, and so on. I am sure we are not the only ones who were so hurt and offended by your «worship» music. I love Christian music… I love music period. But when I come to worship and praise my savior, I do not want to do so with secular music. If I had wanted to do so, it would not be in a worship setting.
Finally, after much reading and praying about this I want to share some scripture with you about what worship is:
Matthew 21:12−13 My temple is to be a house of prayer, not a hideout for robbers.
Psalms 29:1−2; 95:6; 122:1; 100:4; 27; 66:3−4
Deuteronomy 6:13−14
Isaiah 42:8; 29:13−14
John 4:21−24
Romans 12:1; 1:21−25
I Corinthians 11:2−16
Hebrews 12:28
Revelations 4:8
In Christian love and prayer,
Bill and Kelly Hogue

Truly the best church I have ever attended and the only one for me going forward. Andy Stanley and the staff understand the value of making the gospel relevant to our every day lives. This allows us to truly develop a real relationship with Jesus Christ, rather than guilt ourselves into it and not really feel a connection. NPCC has provided me and my family an environment to enjoy our walk in faith, which is what our Lord always wanted for us. And it is not a Bible-​thumping kind of place; there are plenty of other choices for that in Atlanta — believe me!

This is a place where even I feel comfortable… this is a church that speaks to your heart

I love this Church. Andy Stanley is the best preacher I’ve heard. I love the contemporary format and that there are that many people who are that excited about God.

What’s not to love? Casual open environment. God. Rock bands. God. No pressure. God. Relational communicators. God. Get my drift?
I love that they are partnering with the family to impact the children in the church. Parents so readily, and often, leave it up to the church to teach spirituality, but North Point believes that parents have the greatest potential to impact the child. So, they work very hard to create environments that the whole family can connect with and love. And they equip parents to be spiritual leaders in the home. I love that.
I also love that they are focused on volunteering, serving and interceding. From the Be Rich campaign to Do Justice to GlobalX, it’s evident that North Point believes in being the hands and feet of Christ.
Love it!

This church is definitely not for everyone, as the previous review (Sassi K) says. Andy Stanly has said that fairly often from the pulpit as well.
The church, and most specifically, the worship service, which of course, is all that a lot of people ever attend, has got a specific purpose and goal.
The service is designed specifically to be a church destination NOT for people who would otherwise go to church somewhere else, like Sassi K probably would, but for those who otherwise would not go to church at all.
As you learn more about the way it’s designed, the worship service is like a foyer. Everyone is welcome, but it’s OK if you don’t like the house. There are Tons of conventional churches for you to choose from.
As far as being bible based, the preaching and message is spot-​on biblical, and the criticism heaped on this church is not typically that the preaching is unbiblical. While Andy is certainly very cool, he doesn’t preach a prosperity gospel (in fact, quite the opposite) and you won’t find anything heretical. It’s sound preaching. Sure it’s entertaining and humorous as well, but fundamentally it is very sound preaching.
It is definitely a hip, modern worship style, and it can be a little loud, but I’m 42 and I don’t find it ear-​splitting. It isn’t as loud as some churches I’ve been to, who seem to be trying to change an old established model by trying to bring in a «Christian Rock» sort of worship service. The volume level is typically fairly appropriate for the contemporary Christian sort of audience, although I personally wouldn’t mind if they turned it down a notch.
One of the things I like about the North Point churches is that they don’t have to worry about the old established membership that doesn’t like contemporary Christian music. If you don’t like this church, it’s not at all being arrogant to say «That’s OK. You probably aren’t in the audience of the people we are focused on serving.»
In today’s sermon, which was on giving, he preached about being a percentage giver. He said something about it being important to give a percentage of your income for your own sake, not for the sake of this church. He even said that if you are not already a percentage-​giver, then please don’t give your money here, we don’t need your money and there’s enough people who care about what is happening there that the church will make it without your money. Maybe that sounds arrogant to some, but I find it refreshingly direct.
Parking is a challenge and getting in and out takes a while. I recommend getting there at least 30 minutes before the service. If it wasn’t for the parking problems, I’d give this church a 5. I definitely like it more than most churches.
I can honestly say that I look forward to this service when I am in town (which is almost all the time now, luckily) and I have started reading my bible a lot more after attending here regularly. My wife is more religious than me and she’d probably prefer something a little more traditional, but she likes it that I am at least somewhat involved with church now.

I really enjoy this church. I’ve only been attending for a little while but, have already connected with a bunch of young people here. Not only that, but the message is great and easily accessible to everyone. If you don’t live OTP (Outside The Perimeter) you could attend Buckhead Church which is a branch of North Point. The message there is one week behind the message of North Point.
North Point offers FUSION groups which are groups of singles clustered based on age or location. You get together and basically hang out and bond with each other knowing that you have a common bond in faith. The group I’m in has about 20 members who attend but 50 or so on the list. This is a great addition to this church because it’s so large and this makes it so much more friendly and encouraging to know others.
There are also GroupLinks and ministries for couples. This church has so much to offer, whether you are well versed in the scripture or are new to the faith. Of the friends I know who attend, we all grew up with different denominations but, find so much from this church that brings us all together. Isn’t that what it’s all about.
If you have children, there’s Wamba Land for the little ones (up to 5 years old, I think) and services for 1^st-​5^th graders, middle schoolers, and high school students. From what I’ve seen, it’s a high energy, motivational service that really teaches kids about God.
More to come as I get more involved in the church!

Ok. Scott and I have been attending NPCC (North Point Community Church) in Alpharetta since November 2007. If you are not into organized religion, have walked away from the bible thumping southern baptist churches in the past, or just can’t get excited singing amazing grace, then … this church might be just what you are looking for.
With parents and grandparents part of the ministry field (one of those bible thumping preachers I was referring to (grandfather) and then my parents are missionaries in Peru and Africa), I can tell you more about the bible than you ever wanted to know and frankly, more than I ever wanted to know. So I walked away to explore religions and spirituality. That was over 10 years ago. I swore I would never step in another church again (the whole organized religion thing). Well, to make a long story short, I did, back in Nov 07, and was blown away.
Our first Sunday at NPCC, the first song we sang … was Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode. Ok, that got my attention. They have a live band (yes, steel guitars, electric keyboards, full drum set, etc.), three big screens and a camera crew on stage that if you didn’t know any better, you would swear you were watching MTV or VH1.
Then was the sermon. I was braced to hear some BS that I heard a million times before. OMG. Andy Stanley, the pastor of NPCC, delivered a MESSAGE, not a SERMON. I was blown away when Andy said that it’s ok if you don’t believe everything I am telling you. Take what you do believe and work with that, everything else will come later. Wow, a preacher that doesn’t demand you believe and follow the bible word for word.
So, if you are sitting on the fence, or even if you are off the fence, but in a pasture far, far away, give NPCC a try. You just might be surprised as I was.
Last note — ok, yes NPCC is huge, but as Falicia said in her review, they do have 3 campuses — Alpharetta, Brown’s Bridge, and Buckhead. They have 3 services, 9 am, 11 am, and 12:45 pm on Sunday only. (so yes, the first Sunday I attended was at 12:45 pm, and I still got to party on Saturday night! Everyone walks in with Starbuck’s coffee to ease that hangover. lol/​jk) There is no Sunday night service, there is no Wednesday night service. BUT, they do have an awesome awesome awesome children’s church.
If you would like to go, but would prefer to have a friend to sit with, send me a «yelp». I would be more than happy to meet you for any one of the services.